Pictures

My first district in Wallace, NC. My companion is on the far right Elder Beecroft.

This is the district from youngest in the mission to oldest. (Elder Edmond, Elder Beecroft, Elder Me, Elder Caldwell, Elder Randall, and Elder Hartley)

One of my favorite missionaries, Elder Taylor Shirrod

Wallace, NC on Christmas day.

My last district in Wallace, NC from youngest to oldest.

Me and my hijo, Elder Young, playing tennis on preparation day.

This Honduran family investigated FOREVER and never got baptized. I love them to death

Ah the Verdin family. They make some of the best tacos!

Sister Gray and her grandaughter. This is Michael Jordan's Aunt.

Hermano Del Angel, our biggest member missionary helper in the Wallace branch

One of my favorite companions, Elder Sosa from Honduras. I love that pudgy hispanic.

Big boy Elder Bush, he looks like Mr. Incredible

The baptism of Yammi Vargas and her grandmother Dominica.

The baptism of Dominica's husband

MTC Companions half way through our missions, Elder Miller and Elder Adams.

Elder Olson

My district in Smithfield, NC

Last Friday in the MTC

Hey everyone! Today is my last Friday. And it is full of an all day orientation where we learn valuable things to use out in the field. It's nothing I haven't already heard or experienced though. I am super excited though because I think I can be pretty clever when it comes to talking to strangers. If you have any ideas or funny stories about contacting or finding people let me know. I can't wait to astonish people out in Raleigh. Um well we get another P-day tomorrow since today is taken up by orientation, so I might email tomorrow also.

Hey Dad it was amazing Elder Mills and I had just studied that same story in the BOM when I got your letter about it. That was way cool. I don't think many missionaries understand the importance of the H.G. in this work. Sin el Espiritu Santo en su obra, nadie vendre a Cristo. I can´t explain the amount of spirit I´ve felt here. In just teaching lessons in our class with our teachers we feel the spirit so strong. There really is a difference when you teach people and not lessons. It will definitely be something I take into my life forever. I am so freaking excited to finally leave the MTC and put the things I have learned into action. Even my choppy horrible spanish.

So i get to attend the temple each Pday, so I have been like 6 times because it was closed during Christmas time.

So thanks for ordering the bike. I sure hope it gets there on time. I heard that spanish speakers in Raleigh usually have cars though. That could be good and bad. We´ll have to see how I am fed.

I´ll always miss my family and friends, but nothing will pull me away from this work.

What you feel out in the mission is not something you get in the real world.

We saw an amazing talk given by Elder Holland about this work. He definitely threw down the hammer. He literally said that if you can't give your all to the Lord then just go home now! He is so bold. I love it! He said as a missionary we can't miss any opportunity to be apostolic. We have the same name as the apostles for two years. It might be a lower case apostle because we don't hold the same keys, but we are Elders in His church. He also said Don't Have Any Regrets! This is our chance to change people's forever, their eternity, their earthly life. We need to understand the importance of this calling. With that understanding we will be such successful missionaries. We are tools in God's hands and Man's extremity is God's opportunity. We have to led Him guide us. He also went into being obedient, which once again he was very bold. He said that this is God's work, therefore, you have to do it His way. We have to be obedient to be successful. Our power as missionaries comes off of our obedience to the commandments of the Lord.

The last thing he said that really hit me was that there is a reason this work isn't easy. Even though this is the true church and God wants everyone to have this restored gospel, it is not easy because salvation is not cheap. Salvation is not a cheap experience. Why should it be easy for us as missionaries or for the investigators if it wasn't easy for Him? The road to salvation goes through Gethsemane and it is not easy. We have to help these people realize this. It is necessary. but it takes a lot of work on our part. Luckily God is right there to help us. I love this gospel and I love everything it has brought in my life. Now I have to go out and share it with everyone. I have to go out and astonish people. And I will!

I love you all, don't forget it.

Elder Burnham.

FINISHING STRONG

God's Blessings

(picture courtesy of Photography In Light)

So just to let you know I did send you guys snail mail so it will come soon hopefully. Thank you so much for getting Wilson's address for me. That means a lot to me. So.... How has your week gone? How was the funeral? I'm glad you were able to send me the email from Uncle Jim. It's always good to know that our family has such a great knowledge about this gospel. It is definitely evident that families are super important to our heavenly father. It's funny how often the Elders guy start talking about girls and then families and stuff. Anywhere else the girl talk doesn't go past messing around with them for one night. But here it goes all the to eternity. But we are still guys so girls are a subject nonetheless.

Um I did send Jenni an SD card. I hope she gets it safely. And I will need it back soon or the other one because I am leaving soon and I need one in my camera. :) Also thanks for remembering about the Phone card, that will be necessary since I get to call at the airport. I finally got my travel plans this week. Here is the bad news. I have to get up before 4 in the morning to get to the travel office and check in. Our flight leaves at 7:30 on the 23rd. How horrible is that?! But I am still super stoked to finally get out in the field. Getting letters from Brianne, Ben, and Russ are all making me super anxious. I hope to be as successful as them. Ben is super funny when he writes me. He loves when I write in Spanish and he has to try to translate it. Well this week I sent him a page and a half all in Spanish. Muahahahahaha, good luck on that one Ben! It probably isn't even completely correct Spanish, but we'll see how he does.

I'm super happy that I don't come across as a robotic missionary. That is one of the things that I have promised myself that I would work super hard on not becoming. I guess when you are speaking a foreign language it's kind of hard to do that anyway.

Well not much has happened. Oh my companionship got called to be the new zone leaders last Sunday. We now have double responsibility and have to try to squeeze in personal study time. I'm sure I'll be blessed because of it so I'm just working hard. It's not too bad, except for dealing with disobedient missionaries. We have a pretty good zone though so its usually minor things here and there. Oh except there is one elder in my district who a teacher pulled us out and asked us how we felt about him maybe staying behind in the MTC a little bit longer. I think it would kill him, but in reality I believe its a good decision. He needs to work on some more things before he starts asking others to come unto Christ. That was a pretty crazy experience especially for our first day as Zone Leaders. Well other than that things have ran smoothly.

Yesterday our district had one of the most spiritually intense days of my life. I have never witnessed the spirit so strong. We were asked to teach each other during class and to teach to each others needs as real people. We weren't playing any role, just being ourselves. After the lesson our teacher, who was also bawling, asked us all to take the next ten minutes to write down this experience and our feelings so we couldn't forget it. Elder Robinson couldn't stop crying. It was a happy cry though. He had the biggest smile on his face, but man he could not stop feeling the spirit. He went to get up and give everyone hugs and as he tried he fell to the ground and just laid there. It was literally like the King Lamoni story. He wasn't unconscious, but he did have the strength to get up. But we all knew he was fine and happy. Eventually we helped him up and went around and gave us all huge hugs telling us how thankful he was and how much he loved us. He told us he has never been this happy or felt this much love ever in his life. He said he found emotions to be a weakness so he just destroyed any kind he had. Until that day. I know it was all because of his companion. I also know that God knew that only Elder Vincent could reach his heart. This work is amazing. I love it here. Now I know I didn't do this story justice and I wish everyone could have witnessed it, but it was spectacular to literally see a change in the heart of someone else. I hope to be able to do that out in the field.

I know this is the true church. I have a testimony of the gospel. I know Jesus is the Christ and through Him anything is possible.

Life is great, today is great. Why is it great? Because our Savior and Redeemer lives!!!

I love you all. Please don't forget to notice the blessings God has given us. Thank Him everyday for the things he does for us.

I love my family. I will work my butt off.

Well keep the lovin' comin'.

Con Amor

Elder Burnham.

FINISH STRONG!

Te Amo Mucho

Alright so not much has happened this week. Sorry to hear about Aunt Carol. She was always fun to be around. It will be nice to see family, but yeah I agree not the funnest time. It's good that we have knowledge of the life after. That is always comforting. Well Its good to hear that everyone is doing so well.

Man I don't really know what to write this week. Not much happened. Maybe I'll write you guys snail mail if something comes to me.

Aunt Laurie sent me a new years package and that was awesome to get. Nothing really happened here for New Years. Oh there was a tie bazaar outside my room. Apparently ties go like money here. It just a giant trading market of ties. Everyone just brought ties and wandered around trading. I didn't really want to trade anything because not very many people have the flacko corbatas (skinny ties) that I like. So when Ryan comes out here just send all his ties with him because he can just trade around the ones he doesn't like. It gets pretty crazy. Kind of like the patches at the jamboree.

Well um....Brianne wrote me about her experience with the atonement and that was interesting. Didn't really answer any of my questions, but it was good to hear that she loves the atonement as much as I do. :)

Um.........I am almost done with the BOM for the second time. I think when I finish this one with that question I had in mind I'll send it home and you guys can start keeping them safe for me so when I get back I'll have the start of my collection going. And maybe you guys can read through them and add whatever you want or feel in regards to the question I have written in the front cover.

Well I'm healthy, still hating the food and just can't wait to get to the field. After this week my district will be the oldest in our zone. We are all ready to head out. My Spanish is alright. I feel like I can understand more then I can speak. Subjunctive sucks!!! Um I don't really have any goals for before I leave besides finishing this BOM. I do really want Wilson's address, so I don't care if Ryan has to go to Singles ward to ask his Sister. I want that address. It's important to me. Have him ask anyone that might know of any way on facebook. Have him do what he can and constantly call his phone.

Well I love you guys. You are the best. If you get this soon and can write back immediately, do it. I still have 15 minutes allowed on the computer so I might have time to get back on write some more to you. Well I love you all. Hasta Luego!

Con todo mi amor,

Elder Burnham

For those of you that can speak Spanish...here ya go:

Hey I need my mission home address. You didn't send it to me. Could you dear elder that to me¿ Muchas gracias!
Pregunta. Como puede missioneros ayuda otras personas sentir la desea tener una cambia de corazone¿ Yo se es impossible hacer a una persona cambiar. Pero, que puedo hacer ayudar la gente de North Carolina, quiere el evangelio en sus vidas¿ Y que puedo decir en mi visitas con la gente¿ Este es mi pregunta. Por favor ayudame con alguna cosa que venir a su mente.
Yo espero ustedes entienden mi pregunta, y mi español.

Te Amo Mucho.

Hasta Luego,

Elder Burnham otra vez.

What Up!

Hey thanks a bunch for your email Dad that was good. I wish I could read that book. The atonement just blows my mind. I have had quite a few deep conversations with some elders here but they are usually on the same level of understanding as me so its difficult. I just wish I had something that laid it out perfectly. So if that book isn't a huge one you should send it to me when you are done and I can read it really quickly. Anyway it was good hearing from you guys during the week. This week has just flown by. It must be because of the holidays. I am really enjoying that here. I have like big events to look forward to here. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years. They are like big checkpoints in the MTC experience.

So since this week went by fast I can't really recall anything major happening. I think I am still just blown away by Christmas. I never got to tell you like the other half of what he (Elder Bednar) said. I don't really remember what I left off at on my last email, but its all good anyway. So he told us not to be Cookie Monsters and even made the noises that the cookie monster makes. He told us that the spirit of the cookie monster is the natural man in us that wants only for ourselves and wants it now, like the monster with cookies. Using this he talked about how we need to learn to be more selfless. He also taught that it is important to learn the true characteristics of Christ and to follow them. This really stuck out to me because, in my patriarchal blessing it talks about how I should really be striving to learn of Christ in that way so I can strive to emulate the man he was. I've made it a goal to really study Him. Jesus the Christ is a WONDERFUL book. It's long, but I eat that up.

The other part he shared was what is true conversion. I think we could talk for days on that subject. Are we really converted to the gospel of Christ? Go ahead and ask yourself that. I would have to say no. I obviously have faith in him and I want to strive to be like him, but am I completely converted to him? It's really hard to explain, but it definitely gets you thinking. Especially with the fact that I am supposed to go out and convert these people to the gospel. The thing that I have learned or think I have learned is that I may not be COMPLETELY converted, but I am definitely on track to it. It's more like we are all slowly but surely converting, and my job as a missionary is to get the peeps of NC to start their journey to full conversion and that starts with faith, repentance, and baptism. I can't have in my mind that baptism is the ultimate goal. I've noticed that with a lot of missionaries they teach their investigators with just the ultimate goal of baptism and then they are set. But the thing is that if we teach with the ultimate goal being eternal life with our Father in Heaven then I think the step of baptism shouldn't be as scary or crazy to these investigators. I don't know myabe I'm just trying to think too hard. Tell me what you think. :)

Anyway for these deep questions or conversations I have taken a challenge by Elder Bednar. He said that we should take just One question at a time and read the BOM with only that question in mind. Read, ponder, pray, and then write a short summary of what you have learned. He promised us that we will receive personal revelation like no other, and that by the time we are his age we should have like 400 BOM's in our own personal library each with a different subject/question that they are dedicated to. I'm pretty excited. I am really being fed up here and it's not by the nasty food.

Well I love you all very much. Keep the love coming this way. Hey can you send me the address to my mission home, I didn't write it down or bring it with me. Oh and it is really nice hearing about Russell. Well I hope everyone is nice and healthy. You guys are the best and if you have any materials that you think can help me, just send them on over. (Along with some pepsi and maybe some fruit snacks. Food here is really getting boring.) :)

Con todo mi corazone,

Elder Burnham.

Pictures from the MTC

Precious memories...

A strong supportive hug to help you through it all...

A long tender hug to make you feel loved the most...

A protective hug from a Big Brother...

The Provo, Utah Temple

Supportive friends at BYU

Christmas Give

CHRISTMAS GIVE! =)

MMMMMUUUUUAAAAAHHHHH. There is your virtual kiss. :) Hey tell the Elders thank you for the advice. I don't know Ingold, but thanks anyway. I'm guessing the other elders have been transferred by now. Anyway I think Christmas for both of us were very relaxed and awesome. But I'm certain that my sacrament meeting destroys yours. We all had one big meeting in the gym and there were 4 sacrament tables to pass out to the whole MTC. Then we had Elder Bednar speak and blow our minds. He literally changed my entire life. He spoke on our savior of course, but it was amazing. I wish you guys could have heard it. I'm not joking when I say he literally changed my life. He started off by saying that it is much more important that we don't remember what he says but what we feel as he speaks. Our work is about what we are and what we do, not what we say. He said that Preach My Gospel is not a manual, but something we all should become. Ryan focus on that and you will be a powerhouse missionary. Yo prometo.

Then he really started blowing our minds on the Savior. He quoted Neil Maxwell saying, "There would have been no atoning sacrifice without the character of Christ." What does that really mean? This really hit me because in my patriarchal blessing it talks a lot about how I need to really discover the characteristics of Christ so I can emulate the type of man he was.

So here's the golden question, what is the character of Christ. There are so many answers to that, but what Bednar spoke about hit me so hard and really stuck out to me. He said the Character of Christ is that He turns out compassion when the natural man would turn in. What is the natural man. We are and it is an enemy to God. All the things Christ did and went through and not once did he turn in and become selfish. He went on to give examples of modern day experiences of people that have shown that, but that is a question that we need to be able to ask ourselves. How can we not fall into the state of the natural man.

I have learned that in our lives we make a lot of TURNS, not just IN. We turn away from God when we sin, and we reTURN to him when we repent. As we go through life we all need to learn to look up and around and not just forward because we should want to be like Christ and only turn outward. He went on to talk a lot more about life changing things that maybe I'll write to you soon, but that was so powerful I had to share.

Well family, I love you all very much and I hope Christmas is just wonderful. One more thing, Elder Bednar left us with a blessing and said that if we will continue to feast on these words and strive to know more we will NEVER fall away. Well my time is running out. I love you all. Have a very Merry Christmas!!! Keep the lovin' coming. :)

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Elder Burnham

Hey from Elder Burnham

Its been a good and bad week. I have learned a lot and felt a lot. First off thank you again for the package. It was very needed. I'm a little bummed there was no Pepsi. :) But hey I love you so much for it. Um maybe in my next one there will be. ;) Also I hope for Christmas I'm not being sent anything that I'll have to pack. Besides the shirts I need and maybe some more skinny ties. (hint) Hahahaha I love you guys. I'll be sending some pics soon. I'll send you guys some hard copies that I printed out and I'll just send Jenni the SD card. sound good?

Well its definitely starting to get colder here and I hate it. It has snowed a few times, but nothing has stuck. Are you guys freezing over there yet? It's probably still around 65 for you guys, huh? Lucky butts. I'm glad you guys went to the grave. I hope it was absolutely soooo much fun. Sounds like you guys actually had quite the eventful week. I hope you are all starting to feel better now. I'm sure God is answering prayers, in fact I know it because I haven't gotten sick at all. No signs of anything.

Oh, um Russell leaves this Monday. It's so crazy. I asked him yesterday if he is ready to get out there and he feels ready, which is awesome. I was expecting a different answer, but I am super happy that he feels completely prepared to bring others unto Christ. And in Spanish at that. I'm proud of him. He's been a great example for me even here. I'm glad I get to see him as often as I do. Well I hope Ryan is doing well in wrestling, and Sara in dancing. Keep me posted on how those are turning out. Ryan, did I win fantasy football? Also I still need those addresses from Ryan. I got Ben's but I need Wilson's. Thanks.

Oh, I got all those great letters from the Relief Society and from the Remington's thing. I now hold the record for most letters in a day at 16. I don't really have time to write everyone back, so Dad you want to thank everyone for me for there great support next Sunday. Just let everyone know I love them and I am extremely grateful for all that they do for me and my family. Especially in this Christmas season. Spending Christmas here is going to be weird, but I'll be okay. Except the food will probably taste bad again. Esta Bien.

Well on the spiritual side I have discovered how amazingly important 1.The Atonement 2.The Plan of Salvation 3.Reading the Book Of Mormon can be for anyone in any situation. I have never felt the spirit so strong while studying these before. The crazy thing is that even though I have grown up with this stuff, I don't know that I will ever fully understand them. The atonement is absolutely amazing, but it is so complex. I don't know that anyone fully understands what exactly our Savior did for us in that garden. Sure we have a good grasp on it, but we don't fully understand. I really want to unlock all the mysteries of that great gift that our Savior gave to us. One of the biggest things we should understand is that the atonement was absolutely necessary, but it was still a gift in a sense. And we NEED to use it. I think its true that for most people they think of repenting and having to use the atonement as a scary thing. I for sure thought that. But the thing is that we should be so grateful to be able to use it toda dia, cada dia. Talking with our Father in Heaven and asking for forgiveness, and wanting to be perfect should be a good and positive thing. Sure we will feel guilt for screwing up, but we should definitely not be scared to use what our Eternal Father has given us. I never thought to ask for forgiveness for my stupidity so often. Just things like cutting someone off, or making fun of a person, or anything small like that. God understands we aren't perfect, but why aren't we striving to be. Never before in my life has perfection seemed actually reachable until now. I know that I'll never come close, but slowly I can see myself wanting to at least inch my way there. And someday it can happen. We should definitely have that perspective. I don't think we realize what we have been given. At least I didn't completely understand. This MTC is opening my eyes. Let me rephrase that, this MTC is forcing my eyes open with duct tape and pouring light right into them. It is crazy. I may have grown accustom to it here at the MTC but I know that the Holy Ghost is with me at all times, because even though I don't feel a burning sensation 100%of the day, I know that without it, I would not be understanding or feeling or learning what I am now. That is why I am excited to share this with others. I wish everyone could feel this. It's mind blowing.

Well I wish you all a merry Christmas. I love you guys so much. Tell Brianne over the phone that I love her a lot too. Thanks for everything. Keep the letters coming. Oh and if you ever just come across something cool, Dear Elder me. It's free!!! And getting mail is still the best thing ever. Keep up the good work. You guys are great.

Amor con todo mi corazon,

Elder Burnham.

Prayer: Complicated and Mysterious

Hey, it's your favorite missionary. ;) Thanks so much for the package. It was really needed. I love you so much. Anyway I wish I had more of things to say, but not too much has happened. I'll see what I can spit out, or at least remember. I'll use my journal to cheat. Also I'm sorry I don't get to call this Christmas. There are just too many elders and too few phones here. Pero, Esta Bien!! Um... the language is coming alright. I wonder if I'll ever master it, but I'm doing okay. Dad, la idioma esta muy dificil pero, yo estoy entendiendo muy rapido. Yo pienso. :) I have gained three pounds, but I feel like it is in my head. But I am starting to work out more during gym time now instead of just messing around playing basketball. I swear I am the only one in my district that doesn't average two packages a week. It's ridiculous. Christmas is going to be crazy here. I have been taking pics and will send some to you guys soon, or I guess i'll send the SD card to Jenni and she can send stuff to you or something. No se ahora. I still would like to see how my pics turned out, Por Favor!

Okay now for the good stuff I guess. Not much is happening here, but I am learning so freaking much. Oh before that, I got a haircut today and it is way short and you know how I am about that, but afterwards I just didn't care. It was strange. I guess being a missionary does that to you. Like I don't really care how I look. I mean I'm not going out looking slobbish because I'm still a missionary, but I don't know. I just don't care anymore. The apostles have said that we have to look this way therefore, if a new rule came out that we had to wear a pink tutu and one earring on the right ear, I would do it. This whole dedicating your life to God thing is pretty crazy, eh? Anyway, back to what I've learned. I've found or others have found for me so many weaknesses of mine. One of them is patience, but I knew about that one. I swear my companion is just like Ryan in so many ways. But I mean that in both the good and the bad ways. It's crazy. And then when I look at the other companerizmos in my district, It just increases my faith in the divine hand that takes part in setting this work up. It's amazing. Second I have been brutally hit with a wave of I suck at teaching new investigators because I want to go deep into doctrine, and give them everything all at once. I am learning slowly, but surely that I need to simplify my teaching. I'm learning so much. Es Loco!!! I never thought about how much better it is just to simplify a lesson. Another problem I had that I didn't realize was that I thought I was pushing my investigator too hard to follow up on our invitations to read or pray or whatever, but it turns out I don't push hard enough. For ejemplo, we had an investigator read with us and we taught about the Book Of Mormon and testified and got him to be interested in it and he started reading and everything was great, but when I tried to get him to pray with us he said maybe later after he reads more. Well I rationalized that and let it go and just thought maybe he'll do it next time. Well I told my teacher about that later on and he said that I should have worked harder and been persistent in getting him to pray. I felt like crap, but when he explained it it made perfect sense. See, I don't think we realize how important it is that we basically force our investigators to talk with there heavenly father. In fact there is zero conversion process without prayer. Prayer is seriously the other cornerstone of our religion. Without prayer nothing is possible in what I am trying to do. I wish I had known more about this before I taught him. But i guess it's better I learn that out here then in the field. Gosh I never thought so hard about the basics of religion. But It just amazes me. Like with prayer, how complicated and mysterious it is, but at the same time how simple and powerful it is. This is crazy. Anyway, that was one of my awesome lessons this week. Oh and I have successfully memorized the first vision in Spanish. I feel so accomplished. :)

Well I wish I could think of more to tell you. I love you guys so much. Keep the dear elders and packages coming. It's all we missionaries look forward to. :) Yo amo ustedes, mucho!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hola familia.

Yo soy mucho gracias por su mensajes. I have to practice somehow right? Anyway I have so much to say in just a short time. First, business. Yes, mom the tees are for working out and the sweatpants just make sure they fit Ryan in length and that should be good. Oh you can send my emails to whoever. I'm okay with whatever, and I trust your editing judgement. Also did my pics ever come in? Oh also I have a fridge in my room because an elder before us had to keep his insulin cold so if you want you could send me drinks. (Pepsi, Gatorade) Now the rest, my Thanksgiving dinner SUCKED!!! You can't ever beat dinner with the family on Thanksgiving. But to make it alright I have now seen Elder D. Todd Christofferson speak and Elder Russell M. Nelson. I must be super lucky or need extra help. :) It was super amazing though. I have never felt the spirit in this way before. Elder Nelson stopped near the end of his talk and had us listen to Alleluia by the Men in the MOTAB and just think about what we are grateful for and our service. I never felt so good. I was so high on the spirit during that that when the organist started playing the closing hymn it like totally killed the mood. But it was still great anyway. Then that evening we got to watch 17 Miracles. It was really a good movie. I enjoyed that a lot. So that was Thanksgiving.

Now for earlier in the week. I have been able to see Russell (friend from Modesto) a few times now. It is always great to talk to him whenever I can. We are always giving each other braso's. :) Oh so the second day here we had to teach an investigator that only spoke Spanish. It was horrible. And then we went back the 4th day and taught again and we improved so much, miraculously. I actually committed him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. I am very impressed with how much my companion and I have learned. Well at least how much I learned. That second lesson my companion said "Tenemos un message para usted" Which means we have a massage for you instead of saying "Tenemos un mensaje para usted." I had to correct him, but it sure was funny when the investigator gave us a wierd look. I really wish I was better at spanish and I pray very hard every day for the gift of tongues. I pray very hard everyday for everything. I don't have a favorite class because I basically live in my classroom studying and learning and practicing and failing.

So P-day is basically Christmas every week so keep the letters and packages coming because its really the only thing every missionary has to look forward to besides finally going out into the field.

My companion is Elder Miller from American Fork and his dream is to fly fish all the time. I don't know if you remember Jed from
BYU, but he is exactly like him in every way. So we get along pretty well.

Anyway sorry this has been all over the place, but I have such short time and my mind is all over the place that I just tell you stuff as it comes to me. OH Ryan, the MTC is freaking amazing, but the food sucks. Sara, I love you too and I'm glad you actually miss me.

Guys, I am so happy where I am at and nothing could drag me away from here. The things you learn and feel here are literally out of this world. I love you guys so much and I WILL finish strong. Thank you for everything, and I already can't wait to email you next Friday.
Keep in touch I love you guys to death.

Love,

Elder Burnham

News from the MTC

Hey everybody. I hate being timed it stresses me out. Anyway my p-days will be on fridays starting next week. Anyway, I want you to know I love you all very much.

Anyway on a better note. The MTC is really amazing. The knowledge is hitting me so hard and so fast all at once. The thing is that I am retaining the gospel knowledge, but the spanish is kicking my butt. It's really discouraging not being able to communicate with someone. Especially when you have to teach your first investigator the second day you get out here in Spanish. My companion and I had so many awkward pauses. I thought with what I had learned and figured out on my own it was going to go alright, but the thing is that I forgot he talks back. :) I could pick out a few things, but he spoke so fast and more spanish than I have ever heard. It blew my mind. Let me tell you, I have really learned to pray very hard for both the gift of tongues and patience. I get down on myself very quickly and I guess that's something I really need to overcome. I actually have seen Russell a few times and he was telling me that I shouldn't worry because it will come in time. He spoke zero spanish before and now he is doing pretty good. I want so bad to be succesful in Spanish.

Oh hey one of the elders in our room is from Australia and he is headed to Fresno. His name is Elder Neave and he has a great accent. He is also funny to listen to when he speaks spanish. So look out for him.

I miss you guys and I hope you are all doing well. I love you so much. Thank you for supporting. Some of the elders in my district aren't as lucky as I am to have such a loving and supporting family.

I'm enduring to the end. Love Elder Burnham.

Send Sean a letter

His MTC Address is:

Elder Sean Burnham

MTC Mailbox #264

NC-RAL 0123 (This means he is scheduled to leave the MTC on Jan. 23rd)

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793